Shehbaz Sharif condemns Houthi tanker attack, backs Saudi security

Islamabad,UPDATED: Jul 23, 2026 14:54 IST

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday strongly condemned a Houthi attack on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and expressed "unwavering support" for the Gulf nation's security and territorial integrity.

Sharif conveyed the message during a telephone conversation with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office.

The call came after an attack early on Thursday by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The Houthis had earlier announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, saying they would block Saudi vessels in the Bab al-Mandab Strait in retaliation for what they described as Riyadh's blockade of ports and airports in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

During the call, Sharif expressed Pakistan's condemnation, "in the strongest possible terms, of the dastardly attacks carried out by the Houthi militia against Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea". He reiterated "Pakistan's unwavering support for the Kingdom's security, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and prosperity", the statement said.

Sharif said such actions were "totally unacceptable, constituted a clear violation of international law, threatened freedom of navigation and commercial shipping, and undermined regional peace, security, and stability". He also reaffirmed Islamabad's complete solidarity with Saudi Arabia and said that he, along with army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and the entire Pakistan, stood "firmly and resolutely with the Saudi leadership and brotherly people of the Kingdom at this critical time".

He assured the Crown Prince that Pakistan would continue to work very closely with Saudi Arabia, as well as with the international community, in support of peace, security, stability, and the uninterrupted flow of lawful maritime commerce in the Red Sea, Strait of Hormuz and the wider region. The Crown Prince appreciated Pakistan's steadfast support and the close fraternal ties between the two countries.

The attack came amid renewed tensions in West Asia, with concerns over disruptions to key shipping routes and energy supplies following the continuing conflict between the US and Iran. In his call with the Saudi Crown Prince, Sharif condemned the strike, reaffirmed Pakistan's full support for Saudi Arabia, and stressed the importance of protecting regional security and maritime commerce.

With PTI Inputs

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